UP:GOOD Outcome. BAD experience at Big Lots

Six months ago, I was looking for recliners. Big Lots had a style that I loved on sale for $100 off. The old me, would have just charged them on a credit card (which I was still carrying with them at the time), but I had been learning about DR and baby steps, and was trying to stick to a budget. So, I placed two recliners on Price Hold (layaway). I made payments on them for six months, and when I went to pick them up tonight, they told me that they didn't have any, and that they had been discontinued.

I am so mad! And disappointed!! I can't even tell you how much I had been looking forward to those recliners. I have been sitting in a broken chair in my bedroom. And, I was soooo proud of myself for "delaying gratification" and sticking to a budget. I sent this email to Big Lots, via their website. Anyone know what else I can do?

I am including my email. (Warning, its long!)

"I am writing about a problem with a price hold at the (name of town) store.My price hold was placed on 9/2/12. Contract # xxx.For two Tallie Java Recliners for $199.99 each.Item # 618001939.I made regular payments, and on 2/14/2013, I came in and made a payment.The cashier was # 1165533, (name of cashier) (Asst Manager).I told him that I would picking the recliners up in two weeks, and that I was worried about them being in stock, since I hadn't seen any on the sales floor in a long time.He printed out a copy of my payment receipt, and said that he would check to make sure that they would be in stock in two weeks.

Tonight, 2/28/12, I went in to make my final payment and pick up my recliners.(name of cashier) was the cashier at the furniture department.He said that the system was showing that they only had one recliner in stock, and that they were discontinued. He went to the back and checked, and said that there werenÃ¢â‚¬â„¢t any back there, so his inventory was wrong. I asked if any of the other stores had any in stock. He checked and said that the (town 2 hours away) store had 4 in stock.So, I asked if they could get two from there.

He said that he would talk to the manager.So, he went to the back, again.He came back and said that he had found the one recliner that was in stock, and it had a big cut down the middle, evidently from a box cutter, and that the manager said that I could get a refund of my price hold payments, and then come back on Saturday, for their friends and family event, and get 20% off on anything in the store.I said, "So he isn't doing anything?"He said, "Yes".

I said that I didn't know what I was going to do, but that I was very, very disappointed.I called my husband and he said to ask to talk to the manager myself.

I asked (name of cashier) if the manager was there.He then tells me that HE is the manager!He said that it was just him and another guy there that night, and that the store manager would be there the next day.

First of all, OF COURSE, he was going to give me my money back, it would be illegal to keep my money.And, secondly, ANYONE, can go in the store on Saturday and get the 20% discount.And that would mean me coming back all the way into the store on another day to purchase something.AND, I donÃ¢â‚¬â„¢t want something else in the store,I looked and tried out the recliners in the store.I donÃ¢â‚¬â„¢t like anything else.I like the Tallie Java recliners, that is why I placed them on Price Hold.

And, thirdly, I gave two weeks notice to pick up my recliners.Either, (name of cashier) never bothered to check the stock, or he did and just didn't care.If he had, he would have had two whole weeks to figure out a solution to this problem.He could have already picked up the recliners from the (town 2 hours away) store.

So, I made SIX separate trips back and forth to the (name of town) store, to place the price hold and make payments.This store is 20 miles from my house, so 40 miles each trip that I went SIX separate times.

My husband had to take the whole back seat out of our van (which is no easy feat) and I made a special trip to pick up my two recliners.I was so excited to finally be able to pick them up, as I really loved them.The design, the color, how comfortable they were.And it is not easy to find the right fit in a recliner.I recently had to take my grandmother recliner shopping, and we ended up having to go to three different stores, and tryout several dozen before finding one to fit her.

How can a company practice such BAD business?I placed the price hold and did everything that I was supposed to do.I made regular payments, and even gave a full two week notice to pick up my items.At the very least it is very POOR customer service, at the worst, I am wondering if this is even illegal.How can a business accept my payments over 6 months, and then tell me that they no longer carry the items.That is like you Big Lots getting an interest free loan with my money.

I haved worked in customer service for many years, and it is inevitable that mistakes happen, but what a good business does, is MAKE IT RIGHT!

I am still appalled that absolutely NOTHING was done to correct this situation.Your ads should say, Ã¢â‚¬Å“Place an Item on Price Hold, and we May or May Not have your item after you pay for it.Take your chances!Ã¢â‚¬

If I had any idea, when I put these recliners on Price Hold, that they wouldnÃ¢â‚¬â„¢t have them when I paid for them, then I would have NEVER put them on Price Hold in the first place.I would have purchased them that day.

I am not trying to be difficult.I have shopped at Big Lots for over 20 years.And everyone has always been kind and helpful, including (name of cashier) (on previous occasions).And, as I said prior, it is understandable that mistakes occasionally happen, but the thing that is absolutely unacceptable, is that absolutely NOTHING was done to correct this mistake, that was entirely the fault of BIG LOTS.

If you do not have a proper system in place to ensure that when a customerplaces an item on Price Hold, that item WILL be there, after you have taken their money for six months, then You need to change your system to make sure this doesnÃ¢â‚¬â„¢t happen again.

I am expecting someone from the (name of town) store to go to the (town 2 hours away) store, and pick up my two Tallie Java recliners. "

Don't send that email. Keep it short to the point. What does the your contract with them say? Being a store that could very well run out of stock, it may be worded that way in the papers you signed - if they have it in stock, you will get it for that price.

Wowie. That was the longest email ever and very, very dramatic lol. I am not trying to be mean but I worked for a company in there complaint department and we used to laugh at these emails and put them on the 'back burner' because you just sound wayyyy to difficult to take on at my pay scale lol.

It sucks that this happened but its just a recliner and somebody made a mistake...I think your blowing it way out of proportion.

It was a long email. However I think Big lots is in the wrong. By accepting a layaway payment they entered into a contract. They have breached that contract and only give 1 remedy - refund. Technically they can do that so long as you are not an injured party. Yet from a customer service point of view they should have apologized and offered to either give a refund or get the recliners from another store.

Thanks for the advice! I did start calling yesterday. When I couldn't get a hold of the store manager, I asked for the name of the District Manager. She wasn't available, but I was able to leave a message. She called me back today. She was soooo nice!!! She was actually in the store that supposedly had 4 of the recliners in stock. She said that she would check and call me back, and that if they were in stock, that she would have the store manager from the original store drive there and pick them up. But, when she called back about 1/2 hour later, she said that they didn't have any.

So, she asked me about checking the other area stores. She said that I could pick any two recliners in any area store, and that she would price match them for $199 each. So, she called the store that I told her I would start at. We just got back from there. They had a style that the original store didn't have. It was $299. Since, it was also a Friends and Family event this afternoon, I got an additional 20% off, PLUS she must have told the Manager at this store to give me 20% off for customer satisfaction. So, I got 2 recliners for $127.49 each!!! WOOT! WOOT!! I am definitely a happy camper now, and she restored my faith in Big Lots!!